Anybody have difficulty with anger or controlling your anger, maybe even leading you to behavior that you’re not exactly proud of? Write my name down on that list; better yet, put it at the very top. If you want to see me NOT at my best, make me angry. If you’re with me in feeling that way, there’s a powerful message for us in today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:20-26).
Jesus is talking about anger, holding onto grudges, hurt and perhaps even hate. I assume that most of us do not hate someone. However, I am sure that all of us have dealt with anger, grudges, hurt and jealousy at various times in our lives. These are emotions that we all have. They are part of being human. Do we always like these emotions? Most likely not! Yet, these emotions that we may consider negative are as much part of us as are the positive emotions.
As human beings, we experience both ends of the spectrum of positive and negative emotions. Today Jesus is talking to his disciples about the choice we all have. We can choose to focus on the emotions that we know are positive and make us feel good: love, gratitude, appreciation, hope, understanding and faith Or we can choose to focus on the emotions that disturb and upset us: anger, jealousy, hate, etc.
The reality is that our emotions are neither “bad” nor “good.” They simply are! The key is learning how to deal with all of these emotions. When we hang onto those disturbing emotions, it can lead to feelings that block love and therefore block God in our lives. Jesus teaches us this about anger so that we can not only learn to forgive others and love as God loves us, but to also learn how to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness. If we are truly to be the men and women that we are called to be, then we must learn how to give in to love, rather than anger.
We all know what Jesus is asking us to do. It’s just not easy! So we must pray for the grace, strength and wisdom to overcome these love-blocking emotions. God will give us the grace that we need, but it’s up to us. So what will we choose today?
